• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.16-22
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the trunk and lower extremity muscle activity induced by three different intensity conditions (intensity 1, 3, 5) of whole body vibration (WBV) during bridging exercise. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure trunk and lower extremity muscles activity. Eleven healthy young subjects (6 males, 5 females) were recruited from university students. The collected EMG data were normalized using reference contraction (no vibration during bridging) and expressed as a percentage of reference voluntary contraction. To analyze the differences in EMG data, the repeated one-way analysis of variance was used. A Bonferroni's correction was used for multiple comparisons. The study showed that EMG activity of the rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, erector spinae and rectus femoris muscles was not significantly different among three intensity conditions of WBV during bridging exercise (p>.05). However, there were significantly increased EMG activity of the medial hamstring muscle (p=.001) and medial gastrocnemius muscle (p=.027) in the intensity 3 condition compared with the intensity 1 condition. This result can be interpreted that vibration was absorbed through the distal muscles, plantar flexor and knee flexor.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.333-339
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• 2012

Freezing of gait is a severely problem in people with Parkinson's disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the muscle activities of adductor longus, gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, rectus femoris, gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior using Noraxon 8 channels EMG system during stop task in patients with Parkinson's disease. Seven parkinson's patients and age matched normal participants were recruited in the study. Filtered EMG signals were rectified, smoothed and integrated. To control for the altered timing and magnitude of activity, iEMG was normalized for time and peak value. The results indicated that the patients with Parkinson showed decreased gait cycle, stance phase, swing phase time, swing phase time ratio and increased stance phase time ratio than normal participants. The patients with Parkinson showed decreased gastrocnemius muscle activity time ratio, while increased tibialis anterior muscle activity time ratio than normal participants. During stance phase before stop, the patients with Parkinson showed relatively lower average and peak iEMG in anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius muscle than normal participants. During swing phase before stop, the patients with Parkinson showed relatively higher average iEMG in gastrocnemius muscle than normal participants. During stop phase, the patients with Parkinson showed relatively lower average and peak iEMG in anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius muscle than normal participants.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 2002

This study was designed to identify the effects of walking conditions (normal walking vs. toe-walking) on electromyographic (EMG) activity of gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, and soleus muscle. Seven healthy adult males participated in this study. The exclusion criteria were orthopedic or neurologic disease, congenital anomaly or acquired deformity, or pain in low back or lower extremities. The maximal voluntary isometric contraction for each muscle was used for the reference contraction, and EMG activity of each muscle during normal walking and toe-walking was expressed as a percentage of reference contraction. The gait cycle was determined with two foot switches, and gait was normalized as 100% gait cycle for each condition. The maximal values of EMG activity in terminal stance (30~50% of gait cycle) of each condition were compared for data analysis. No significant differences were found in EMG activity of the tibialis anterior and soleus (p>.05), whereas significant decrement was found in EMG activity of gastrocnemius during toe-walking compared to normal walking (p<.05). There is a limitation to generalize the results of this study, because small number of subjects participated for this study and only EMG was used for data collection. The treatment methods should be developed to improve gait efficiency by substituting the weakened muscles secondary to upper motor neuron, or by strengthening the distal muscles in lower extremity.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.606-611
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• 2013

It has been reported that tight sportswear could have complicated influence on physiological function of human body. The purpose of this present study was to investigate the effect of wearing gradient compression tights (GCT) on muscle strength and EMG activity during repeated isokinetic muscle contractions. Four healthy male undergraduate students performed maximal voluntary isokinetic concentric muscle contractions on biomechanical test and training systems with GCT and loose pants as control (Cont) respectively. During each test, the peak torque of extensor and flexor contractions and the surface electromyography (sEMG) of the rectus femoris and medial gastrocnemius was recorded simultaneously, the peak torque was recorded as an indicator of muscle strength, and the average amplitude and mean power frequency of sEMG were calculated as indicators of EMG activity. The results showed that: the peak torque decreased gradually during continuous muscle contractions both when the Cont and GCT were worn, average sEMG and mean power frequency declined along with the repetitions of muscle contractions for both wearing conditions, and the change tendency was consistence with that of peak torque. There was no obvious difference between the peak torque recorded wearing the Cont or wearing GCT, but when GCT were worn, average sEMG was lower and mean power frequency was higher than the Cont condition. In 24 samples obtained from four subjects, 80% of results showed the same trend. So we could make a conclusion that wearing GCT had no obvious effect on the improvement of muscle strength, but it would affect the EMG activity positivly.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.393-405
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• 1996

This study was performed to investigate the effects of changes of head posture and cervical spine shape on the mandibular resting or clenching electromyographic(EMG) activity in anterior temporalis(TA), masseter(MM), sternocleidomastoid muscle(SCM) and trapezius insertion(TI). 30 patients with Temporomandibular Disorders(TMDs) participated in this study. EMG activity($\mu$V) at rest and clenching was observed in four head postures, namely natural head posture(NHP), forward head posture(FHP), upward head posture(UHP), and downward head posture(DHP). For taking in upward or downward head posture head was inclined 10$^{\circ}$ upward or downward and CROM$^\textregistered$(cervical-range-of motion, Performance attainment Inc., USA) was used to maintain same posture during the procedure, and BioEMG$^\textregistered$ (Bioelectromyograph, Bioresearch Inc., USA) was used to record EMG activity in the above four muscles at eight locations on both sides. The recorded EMG activity($\mu\textrm{V}$) were compared and analyzed by cervical spine shape such as the head position from plum line, cervical curvature, and cervical inclination. Head position from plum line was measured in vertical plate calibrated with cm scale, comical curvature by radius was measured with adjustable curved ruler, and cervical inclination by cervical vertebrae tangent(CVT)was measured in lateral cephalograph. The results obtained were as follows : 1. Mean value of head position from plum line, cervical curvature, and cervical inclination were 4.8cm, 26.7cm, and 86.6$^{\circ}$, respectively, And There were no correlationship among these items. 2. For resting EMG activity by head posture, the value in anterior temporalis was higher at FHP than at DHP, the value in masseter was higher at FHP than at NHP, and DHP, the value in sternocleidomastoid muscle was higher at UHP than at NHP, and the value in trapezius insertion was higher at FHP and DHP than, NHP and UHP. The clenching EMG activity, however, did not show any difference by head posture. 3. Comparison of resting and clenching EMG activity between higher and lower groups by head position from plum line, cervical curvature, and cervical inclination did not show any significant difference. From this result, the author concluded that the cervical spine shape had not significantly affected to EMG activity in usual patients with TMDs.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.271-284
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to analyse the EMG activity of selected muscles with balance taping treatment and blood fatigue makers which accumulated during exercise of progressive maximal intensity. Ten male college students who did not experience any cardiovascular and musculo-skeletal disease were participated in this study. Balance taping were applied to rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, semitendinous, semimembranous, and around knee joint. Isokinetic knee joint flexion/extension force, EMG activity, lactate and ammonia as blood fatigue makers during progressive maximal intensity exercise were measured for with/without applying balance taping. The results indicated that although flexion force of total work at $60^{\circ}/sec$ with taping was increased applied taping did not affect to the aerobic exercise ability parameters. Lactate level as blood fatigue makers during progressive maximal intensity exercise after taping was decreased but the ammonia level did not change with same treatment. In isokinetic knee joint test at the angular velocity of $60^{\circ}/sec$, $180^{\circ}/sec$, and $240^{\circ}/sec$ the taping treatment did not affect to any selected muscle EMG activities except maximal EMG of vastus lateralis at $240^{\circ}/sec$.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate electromyographic (EMG) activity of deep and superficial trunk muscles during trunk stabilization exercises with and without stabilization maneuvers. Methods: The relative muscle activity ratios and local muscle activities of 25 healthy males were measured using the 8 channel surface EMG system (Myosystem 1400A, Noraxon Inc., U.S.A). The surface EMG activities were tested during performing abdominal hollowing maneuver (AHM), abdominal bracing maneuver (ABM) and no stabilization maneuver (NSM) in random order. Data were analyzed using $1{\times}3$ repeated measures ANOVA. Results: During bridging exercises, the EMG activity ratio of transverse abdominis/internal oblique abdominis relative to rectus abdominis was significantly lower in NSM than in AHM and ABM. During bridging and kneeling exercises, the EMG activity ratio of multifidus relative to erector spinae was significantly higher in AHM than in NSM. Conclusion: The AHM can be clinically used by the physical therapist to activate selectively the trunk muscles when designing selective training programs for patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.9-15
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• 2009

The purposes of this study were to compare abductor hallucis (AbdH) muscle activity during toe curl exercise according to position of interphalangeal joint (IPJ). Fifteen healthy subjects with neutral foot were recruit for this study. All subjects performed toe curl exercise with towel while maintaining the IPJ in flexion (condition 1) and extension (condition 2). Toe curl exercise with towel was perform three trials for five second periods in each condition. Surface electromyography (EMG) activities were recorded from three muscles (AbdH, tibialis anterior, peroneous longus) in each condition. EMG activity was normalized to the value of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). The EMG activities acoording to position of IPJ were compared using a paired t-test. This study showed that the EMG activity of AbdH during toe curl exercise with IPJ extension significantly increased compared to those during toe curl exercise with IPJ flexion (p<.05). However, the EMG activity of tibialis anterior and peroneus longus were not significantly different between the conditions (p>.05). These results suggest that toe curl exercise with towel must be performed with extension of IPJ in order to strengthen intrinsic muscle in subjects with overuse injuries related to excessive pronation.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.9-15
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences in electromyographic (EMG) activities of upper limb muscles between cross- and parallel-aligned taping and to compare the effects of these 2 taping methods in healthy adults. Thirty subjects, who volunteered for this study, were tested under 3 taping conditions in random order: (1) no taping, (2) cross-aligned taping, and (3) parallel-aligned taping. EMG activities of the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, flexor carpi ulnaris, and extensor carpi radialis muscles were measured. All muscles showed significant differences in EMG activity among the 3 conditions (p<.05). In the post hoc test, biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscles showed significant differences in EMG activity between the no taping and the cross-aligned taping conditions and between the no taping and the parallel-aligned taping conditions. Additionally, the EMG activities of the flexor carpi radialis and extensor carpi radialis muscles appeared to be significantly different between the no taping and parallel-aligned taping conditions. These findings demonstrate that taping may be helpful for decreasing muscle activity, regardless of the direction of tape application. This study provides useful information to future researchers regarding the effects of taping on muscle activity.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2013

This study investigated the effects of axillary crutch length on trunk muscle activity and lumbo-pelvic-hip complex movements during crutch gait. Eleven healthy men participated in this study. The participants performed a three-point gait with optimal, shorter, and longer crutch lengths. Weight-bearing (WB) side was determined as the dominant leg side. The electromyography (EMG) activity of the bilateral rectus abdominis (RA) and erector spinae (ES) muscles and lumbo-pelvic-hip complex movements were monitored using a three-dimensional motion system with wireless surface EMG. Differences in the EMG activity of RA and ES muscles and range of motion (ROM) of lumbar spine, pelvis, and hip among conditions were analyzed using one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance, and a Bonferroni correction was conducted. There was less RA muscle activity on the WB side under the optimal crutch length condition compared with shorter and longer crutch length conditions (p<.05). The EMG activity of the RA muscle on the non-WB side and ES muscle on the WB side were significantly decreased under the optimal crutch length condition compared with shorter crutch length condition (p<.05). No significant differences in the EMG activity of the ES muscle on the non-WB side and ROM of lumbo-pelvic-hip complex were found among conditions (p>.05). These findings indicate that the optimal crutch length improves the trunk muscle efficiency during crutch gait.